Which concept allows data to be encrypted with a public key, ensuring only the holder of the corresponding private key can decrypt?

• A. Symmetric Cryptography
• B. Asymmetric Cryptography
• C. Public Key
• D. Private Key

Answer: (B)

Public-key cryptography allows encryption with a publicly available key and decryption only with the matching private key. This lets anyone send confidential data to the key owner by using the public key, while only the holder of the private key can read it. The security rests on the key pair: the public key can be shared openly, the private key remains secret. This differs from symmetric cryptography, where the same key is used to both encrypt and decrypt and must be kept secret by all communicating parties. The concepts of the public key and the private key are parts of the system, but the overall method described—encrypt with a public key and decrypt with the private key—characterizes asymmetric cryptography.